


Awkward Reunion

by himbolovinghimbo



Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Confessions, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:47:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24183871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/himbolovinghimbo/pseuds/himbolovinghimbo
Summary: Draxum invites Splinter over for a peaceful dinner, to the discomfort of both men. However, an awkward dinner leads to a slow bond, and a forming of a possible friendship....Or more?
Relationships: Baron Draxum/Lou Jitsu (TMNT), Baron Draxum/Splinter (TMNT)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 99





	1. Chapter 1

“Huh, I wasn’t expecting you to show up.”

Splinter fidgeted uncomfortably, right in front of him was the yokai responsible for dramatically altering his life and appearance, for better or for worse. The yokai’s appearance was unbearable for Splinter. The way his dark, golden eyes surveyed his body, the way his lips curled slightly to the mention of his name, the way his large, coarse hands casually tied up his long, crimson hair, the way—

“Splinter,” Draxum’s curious tone interrupted the rat man’s bitter thoughts. “I’m not hearing a response.”

Avoiding Draxum’s eyes, Splinter answered the yokai hurriedly, “I didn’t want to show up. But the orange one saw your invitation and encouraged me to visit. So we could…. bond.” Splinter choked the last word out, pho’s face flushed with embarrassment.

Oh, what Splinter would give for this to all be an embarassing, forgotten dream where nothing happened and no consequences were made. Of course Splinter was never known for having the best of luck in his post mutation stage, but he was desperate for his ancestors themselves to burst in and drag his body away. Alas, life was cruel and unfriendly to the man who tried to skate through life without a care in a world.

“Bond? I’m not sure how we can bond over dinner,” Draxum said with slight sarcasm. “Is that how you humans do it?”

Splinter scowled, “us _humans_ , bond how we please. Besides, why did you invite me over.”

Draxum scratched behind his head awkwardly, “I suppose that turtle is rather persuasive.”

Stepping inside without his children to accompany him was uncomfortable, he hadn’t noticed how small and cramped Draxum’s home was, compared to the open vastness of the sewers.

“Sit wherever you want,” Draxum said from behind. “And wipe your feet please, I don’t like dirty carpets.”

Splinter took off his shoes and continued further down the corridor, after shutting the door behind him with his tail. 

_Such a filthy place,_ he thought to himself bitterly. _But I suppose it suits him well._

It wasn’t long before he approached the table, with Draxum sitting on one end, watching him intently.

“Need help up the table?” Draxum asked, breaking his thoughts.

Splinter whipped his head to face him, noticing the slight smirk on his face, _that smug bastard! Finding my situation amusing._

“I don’t need your help, Draxum.” Splinter hissed. “I’ve used this table before, in fact, I’ve done quite a number of things despite my height. Like beat you senseless!”

The last part slipped out faster than Splinter could have time to mentally filter out his own words, fortunately for him, Draxum didn’t respond. He didn’t even flinch. Just returning to that insufferable, stoic expression.

Splinter sat up on the table and observed the food. Unsurprisingly it looked rather inedible, with white rice, some cut bread and leftover casserole on the side. but his eyes were more fixated on the bowl of soup placed beside it all. Dark, red liquid with an odd and unfamiliar scent put Splinter over the edge.

_He couldn’t have…_

“What is this?” Splinter asked accusingly, in a tone more aggressive than he intended. 

“It’s soup, Michelangelo tells me you enjoy it—“

“This isn’t SOUP! It’s thick, boiling and RED. Now stop looking at me with those disinterested eyes and tell me, what is this?”

Draxum paused, as if trying to give Splinter the right response that wouldn’t set him off.

“It’s soup.”

Splinter almost snapped, at any moment he could charge in and threaten Draxum with the silverware in his claws, but restrained himself.

“What kind of soup,” Splinter asked, knowing Draxum would lie.

“It’s a special yokai dish made exclusively in the mystic city, I—“

Splinter leapt from his chair and pointed “AH HA! I knew you were lying! You’re a wanted criminal, you could never visit that city.”

Expecting a witty retort or admission of defeat, Splinter was instead greeted with another awkward silence. 

“I know… I know I’m a criminal,” Draxum said flatly. “I was just trying to say that I asked Michelangelo to retrieve the ingredients I needed for it.”

Splinter lowered himself, “then… what is this?”

“It’s called a paprika surprise. It’s rather spicy… I thought you would enjoy it,” despite Splinter’s accusatory tone, Draxum was able to keep his composure, taking Splinter aback. He was unlike the completely unhinged yokai from a few weeks prior, appearing a lot more stable and well groomed.

 _Has he changed that much?_ Splinter thought to himself, then bitterly remembered Draxum’s look of amusement when he approached the table. _No, of course not. He’s just trying to look like the better person._

Splinter gripped the spoon tightly and took a scoop of the bizarre concoction, small flames bursting from the crimson dish. Before taking a sip he paused.

“Switch dishes with me,” Splinter demanded. 

“What?” Draxum asked, losing his poker face for a moment. 

“Do you really think I’m just going to eat whatever’s made by you?” Splinter retorted. “Switch or else I’m leaving.”

Draxum rolled his eyes, “all this stalling is going to make the food turn cold.”

But the yokai obeyed and swapped foods. Splinter snorted at Draxum’s noticeably bigger plate with larger servings. While he could easily take offense to it, he could imagine the yokai seeing his small stature and assume that Splinter would want less food.

_Great, now I’M making fun of myself._

“You eat first,” Splinter demanded.

Draxum rolled his eyes, he took a sip of the soup first, smacking loudly before squinting and biting his lip. The yokai hurriedly drank a glass and looked back at Splinter, with an irritated glare.

“Why did you do all that?” Splinter asked accusingly.

“IT’S SPICY,” Draxum bellowed, his volume shaking the table. “I don’t care for food that makes me feel like my stomach is one fire, but I made this for you.”

Splinter’s face felt hot, he truly was wasting both of their time, throwing accusations and refusing to eat his food. But it’s not as if his distrust was unjustified, though slightly unwarranted given the low stakes situation he was in. Splinter took another scoop of the soup and finally slurped it down. Immediately his tongue was hit with a wave of flavor and spices he had never tasted before. The sensation was almost so pleasurable that Splinter had to grip the table to hold himself together.

“Fantastic! This is amazing Draxum,” Splinter exclaimed. 

Draxum’s eyes fluttered with surprise, “really? It’s my first time.”

“This is good for a first time dish,” Splinter blushed slightly and sank deeper in his chair. He didn’t want to give Draxum too much satisfaction, but the dish was undeniably excellent. “It could use a little more paprika though.”

“Thank you,” Draxum’s face remained unchanged but his eyes gleamed with excitement.

It was silent again, as the two of them continued eating their meal.

“I used to cook dishes for my fiancé… well… I suppose girlfriend is more appropriate ,” Splinter casually said, hoping to catch a response from Draxum, but Yokai's face remained stiff. 

“Girlfriend…” Draxum repeated. “Girl…friend?”

“Oh don’t tell me you don’t know what girlfriend means,” Splinter snorted.

Draxum folded his arms in an angry huff, “of course I know, you just never struck me as the type to have one. I thought you were into men.”

Splinter almost fell out of his chair, “WHAT!? Men? A man? Me? With…. a man?”

Draxum cocked his head sideways and smirked, “I’m kidding. I hear you humans find such relationships taboo.”

“Just because it’s “taboo” doesn’t mean…” Splinter stopped himself. The yokai was toying with him, making odd comments to trip him up. Perhaps it’s what Splinter deserved for trying to spark some envy in the yokai.

Relationships with men were something Splinter often struggled with. Despite his decades of stardom and fame in America, the rat man struggled to truly pinpoint his sexuality. His attraction to women was undeniable and intense, while his attraction to men was a rocky road. Filled with shaky pasts and uncomfortable break ups.

“Well tell me Draxum, which why do you swing?” Splinter asked, wondering if the yokai would admit something so personal.

“Baron Draxum does not swing, he chooses,” Draxum retorted, missing the obvious metaphor. “My interest is only with males.”

How the yokai could say such a line with such confidence and pride was enviable for Splinter. Even with all his freedoms and power, there was so much the rat man couldn’t do.

“I see,” Splinter nodded. “So how many exes?”

The yokai gripped his cup tightly, “I have no interests in pursuing relationships.”

“Really? None?” Splinter blinked in surprise. He had remembered Michelangelo retelling stories about how Draxum was rather popular among his kind before turning into a wanted criminal.

“No one could match my wit, nor my strength,” Draxum grumbled. He took a sip before continuing. “Well… there was one.”

“Oh?” Splinter leaned forward, hoping to hear something humiliating from him.

“We… it wouldn’t have worked out,” Draxum said, slouching his shoulders. “A human and a yokai wouldn’t mix.”

_A human? Draxum had feelings for a human?_

“I don’t know, you could at least try,” Splinter said. “Dating a yokai isn’t so bad—“

Splinter stopped himself, but Draxum already caught on to his last sentence.

“Dating a yokai? I said human,” Draxum growled, narrowing his eyes.

“Right… right,” Splinter took another nervous sip, avoiding Draxum’s gaze.

Draxum leaned towards, as if changing the position of power in the conversation, “did you… date a yokai?”

Splinter wanted to run, as if he could admit something so personal to the yokai. Though his knowledge on Draxum was sparse, he did remember a rather casual comment by one of his son’s, pointing out that Draxum has a bit of familiarity with Big Mama. Even so much as admitting the truth to the sheep scientist’s face could give away too much information.

“I dated… several,” Splinter choked out, hoping Draxum would buy into his lie.

The sheep scientist smirked, “any male yokai?”

_STOP ASKING ME ABOUT MEN._

“Tch, still no. I didn’t know what your cultures were like,” Splinter crossed his arms, his appetite slowly dwindling. What started off as a simple meal turned into a reverse interrogation scenario. 

Draxum tapped the glass bowl lightly, “you had a fanbase you know. Male yokai… female yokai… everyone in between… they all loved you.”

Splinter could see Draxum failing to hide the bitterness in his eyes, almost exciting Splinter once more. Of course Draxum would be envious of him, the yokai had kept his body but lost all his fame and admiration. Yet Splinter still went on as a beloved and well respected celebrity. Cockiness began to overtake Splinter as he goaded the yokai.

“Jealous I see,” he said with a sly grin. “It’s alright, not all of us can start off as world famous celebrities and stay well liked.”

“Is that what you think? Jealousy?” Draxum retorted, baring his fangs. “Jealous of you?”

“You’re a criminal Draxum,” Splinter said casually, taking another bite out of the banana bread. “Your people hate you, they see you as a criminal. But me well, I may be a pudgy rat, but at least I don’t sleep at night knowing my children hate me.”

Splinter bit his tongue. He said a little too much. He could already see that his words hit the sheep yokai too hard, his eyes darkening as he stood up. Expecting to be greeted with a loud and angry wave of retorts and insults, something even more shocking escaped the yokai’s lips.

“It was you,”

Splinter flicked his ear in confusion, “what was me?”

“My love for you. I loved you,” Draxum spoke, his eyes steady.

Splinter looked around, waiting for someone to jump out and tell him it was a prank, that someone was punking him. 

“It was for a short time however,” Draxum said, scratching his chin. “I had gotten over it. You released my animals, destroyed my labs, stole my test subjects… it was foolish of me, really. To think that a yokai and a human could find love.”

Splinter clenched his fork in anger, “you say that because you can’t accept your own flaws. My hatred for you has nothing to do with being a human, or you being a yokai. It was your flawed view on the world and your decision to turn innocent children into mindless warriors. Why can’t you admit that it’s just you, and it’s always been you?”

Draxum bit his food gently, “if things were different. Do you think we could have been friends?”

“I don’t know Draxum,” Splinter confessed. 

“I see,” Draxum replied, continuing to eat his food, with Splinter quietly following suit.

Something, despite Splinter’s best efforts to deny it, was just so intimate about this situation. Eating was something personal to him. It’s how he connected to his family, his children and even his ex partners. Splinter couldn’t help but watch Draxum’s lips as they coolly curved around the glasses cup. Or fingers curling delicately around the fork as it plunged for more food.

Splinter’s bitterness and rage cooled down and a new emotion began to overwhelm him.

Sadness.

“You know what’s funny? In all my years of raising the boys, I hadn’t even pursued a relationship. I suppose I thought it was over for me,” Splinter awkwardly said, stumbling over a few words. Why am I saying this to him? Like he’d understand. 

“And even then… I thought about you,” Splinter grimaced as he continued. “I barely knew you, I wanted you dead… but I thought about you.”

Draxum’s eyes widened, “what did you think about?”

“Nothing you need to know,” Splinter hurriedly added. “But hearing that you once loved me, had an infatuation with me… well… it just hurts.”

Splinter could barely keep eye contact with Draxum as he continued, “I don’t know if I could ever forgive you, I don’t even think it’s possible for me. Yet I’ve thought about you, you won’t escape my mind. Perhaps in a way… I understood… that desire to protect the weak. Protect my own…”

Splinter hadn’t noticed that Draxum was near him, kneeling down so he could listen intently.

“We could have been friends. We could have raised a family, but it doesn’t matter now, does it?” Splinter’s voice was barely audible, yet he could tell Draxum was listening intently.

“I just wish… I wish you weren’t so cruel,” Splinter finally gazed into the yokai’s eyes, Draxum’s gaze was steady. “I wish things were different, I wish you never had ill intentions, I wish you never hated my kind, and I never had to deal with the fact that I’m sharing the same space with the yokai who kidnapped and threatened my own children.”

“How can I make things better?” Draxum finally spoke.

“You can’t,” Splinter said bitterly.

“That’s a lie, I will make this better Lou,” Draxum scowled. “I’ll make you happy, I’ll earn your trust.”

“Then how will you do it?” Splinter asked.

Draxum paused, thinking hard to himself. It took awhile for it to finally settle on Splinter, the yokai’s hand on his shoulder, his eyes full of worry, his lips curled as he struggled to find a decent solution.

“A date.”

“What?” Splinter asked, his thoughts interrupted.

“We will go on a date. Just you and me,” Draxum nodded to himself.

“Was this not a date?” Splinter asked, alarmed by such a romantic proposal.

“We were eating, it’s different,” Draxum shrugged. “We’ll go on a date, tomorrow night, 11 PM. Don’t tell your sons.”

Splinter could barely move, a date? An actual date? With HIM!?

_Then again, why not. It’s not like I can avoid Draxum forever._

“Fine,” Splinter remarked, his smug attitude returning. “11 PM… at the central park.”

Though Splinter couldn’t admit it to Draxum’s face, he still struggled to trust the sheep yokai enough to be in a more private area. Even sharing the same small apartment room was enough to drive Splinter over the edge.

Draxum looked at Splinter with surprise and nodded with understanding, “central park, I’ll be there.”

\---------------------------------------------------

Splinter arrived home, mentally exhausted from the tense interaction with Draxum, and physically exhausted from the long walk home without the use of a tank.

Quickly he dove for his room, not interested in talking with any of his children, especially Michelangelo, about the events that took place. Luckily for him, it seemed as though all his children were busy ignoring his curfew and spending a night on the town.

And for once Splinter was thankful for it.


	2. Dreams and Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baron Draxum thinks about his feelings and relationship with Splinter, as well as his past life. Mikey is there too.

_“You dance?” the dark haired human asked, shaking Draxum’s shoulders playfully._

_“I don’t dance. I fight,” Draxum scowled, ignoring the way the warrior touched his body. “Perhaps I mutate things… for fun.”_

_The two of them were underground, eating it up in Draxum’s favorite restaurant, though the name was lost to him. The yokai had ordered a rather light yet expensive meal, while the human eagerly asked for whatever was on his menu, offering to pay off everything. Draxum didn’t have the heart to tell him  
That human money was worthless underground, observing the way his dark eyes looked back at him lovingly._

_“Ooooooo mutation,” The man smiled. “Could you mutate my clothes into something cooler?”_

_Draxum leaned in and gripped his collar, “perhaps I can do more with your clothes…”_

_The human’s small eyes dilated, “we’re in a restaurant baby, we can’t do that here.”_

_“I’m kidding,” Draxum said softly, ignoring the whispers and pointed stares from other patrons._

_The human lifted his hands to Draxum’s dark red cheeks, prompting the yokai to bite his lip in anticipation. His hands were so warm, unbearably so. Draxum almost felt the urge to fall asleep to the warmth of his calloused hands._

_“They’re staring,” Draxum harshly whispered._

_“Let them stare,” the human smiled, winking back at the yokai guests._

_The man leaned forward, in a gesture a little too fast for Draxum’s liking, but the yokai wasn’t going to pull away either. The sheep scientist tipped his head to the side, taking in a moment to smell the pale human’s sweet scent, pressing his mouth up against the human’s soft lips, never wanting to pull away…_

______________

Draxum jolted out of bed, his body drenched in his own sweat and exhaustion. Once again he had fallen victim to his own repressed desires. The more he thought of Lou Jitsu, the more he dreamt about him, and the more he dreamt about him, the more he wished to be with him. And when that desire came in full force, Lou Jitsu’s betrayal came back harder.

It was hard to forget the brief trust Draxum had in the warrior, before losing everything in a matter of minutes, barely able to recoup his thoughts as his lab was set ablaze. 

_All that chaos, for some stupid animals,_ He thought resentfully. 

Then again, he and Lou were truly never close. Draxum never confided secrets with him, they never held a normal conversation, they never dated, they never kissed, they never expressed any feelings of love or infatuation. There was nothing but hatred and contempt between them. Draxum still remembered when the lab was burning down, creatures of all shapes and sizes scurrying out of his castle, through the flames and the wreckage was Lou. His soft, tender eyes turned hardened as he glared down Draxum’s direction, pure, unbridled rage pointed in his direction.

Draxum didn’t even think it was possible for the human to get angry. He was always smiling, always gleeful and always in love with himself. To think he could grow hateful was unfathomable. Draxum would remember his brief conversations with Big Mama, how she’d sneak in sickeningly perverted comments about Lou Jitsu. The curvature of his body, his clean hair, his bright teeth, and his warm smile, always came up in conversations. Yet his kind, noble nature was often brought up the most. 

Back then, Draxum had questioned if she was truly in love with him, but now he understood that Lou Jitsu would never stoop as low as to fall in love with such a vile, cruel woman.

Draxum finally stood from his bed, disgusted by his prevailing thoughts about the highly animated Nexus warrior. All he wanted was some peace of mind and for the champion to stop clouding his thoughts. He scanned the area, checking for traps or potential invaders. Taking cautious strides around the room, he proved various areas around his home to see if there were any intruders lurking afoot. As usual, Draxum was fine.

“Safe, it’s always safe,” Draxum said to himself. He slumped a bit, embarrassed by his constant need to check his surroundings.

 _Pathetic, if I was back in the yokai city, I wouldn’t need to worry about my own safety,_ Draxum thought bitterly. _I’d be sleeping in my castle while my loyal minions guard…_

Draxum thought to himself longingly. It had been months since he last saw them. He assumed they wouldn’t be in any immediate danger, knowing that their lack of involvement in his crimes protected them from any retribution. Or at least he hoped.

Draxum slowly undressed himself and popped in the shower, praying the cold waters could help him ease his tension and forget about Lou Jitsu. But it was near impossible. With the date on his mind, the memories or Lou Jitsu were unavoidable. But something else was etching in. The cold water was beginning to pound harder and harder, as if stabbing through his fur and piercing his flesh. The pain was unbearable, only worsened by vulnerability Draxum felt being completely nude.

“It’s over,” he groaned. “He’s not here.”

The yokai stiffened his back, then relaxing, trying to ease his nerves. Draxum missed the mornings when he could take long, cold showers to rejuvenate himself without fearing for his life. But any attempt has long since failed, after the catastrophic event with Shredder. Anything cold and/or metallic threw Draxum into a nervous frenzy, his body stiffening as if already accepting his untimely demise.

The original terror Draxum felt when facing Shredder was now replaced with shame and humiliation. To be easily beaten by a piece of metal armor offended him. The Baron Draxum should not have been so easily beaten by a beast barely able to construct its own words. And as if to cope with the humiliating loss and failure to protect his kind, memories of the human flooded in.

And then… the conversation.

Draxum stepped back and groaned in agony. Everything he said, everything he didn’t say, everything he WANTED to say hit him at full force. But one line stuck out to him the most, one line he regretted blurting out.

“I loved you.”

Draxum sat down, his own words were beyond overwhelming to him

“Why would I say that?” He spoke bitterly. “Why did I say any of that?”

It was a secret Draxum planned to keep to his grave. Not even Huginn and Muninn were aware of his romantic desires and deep infatuation with Lou Jitsu. In fact, he once remembered the gargoyles poking fun at his inability to experience love.

But he told it to Splinter, the man he had unrequited feelings for, with extra emphasis on had.

Draxum’s feelings for Lou Jitsu were complicated. Simple love was not the best way to cut it. He was obsessed with Lou Jitsu, in both infatuation and resentment. Everything the human did was beyond Draxum’s comprehension. His skills, his strength, his refusal to back down from his ridiculous beliefs and abandon the movie lifestyle until he was forced out of it.

“That idiot,” Draxum said bitterly, turning off the shower.

Though Draxum was no better. It was embarrassing to admit, but the only reason he agreed to Michelangelo’s dinner date idea was because he sincerely wanted to see if he could finally get along with Splinter. In Draxum’s eyes, the only thing holding him back were the threats he made towards his children. But even then, he had hoped the rat man finally moved on, no longer harboring any hatred towards him. Draxum was only fighting for the greater good, why couldn’t Splinter understand that?

Ten more minutes were spent silently dressing himself, his thoughts about Splinter worsening. Trapped in his own perverted thoughts, Draxum nearly missed the sound of his phone ringing from the next room over, which popped him out of his daze. Throwing on his clothes and rushing into the kitchen, he picked up the tacky, bedazzled cellular device and answered.

“Michelangelo?” Draxum said with relief. “I recognized your caller ID. I am getting pretty good at this phone stuff, don’t you think—“

“Hello Draxum,” an unfriendly voice spoke.

Draxum froze. Not him, not now, he thought with discomfort. The last thing he wanted was for Splinter to confuse him even more.

The yokai took a deep breath and answered, “hello Splinter, sounding chipper as always.”

The rat man grunted, “I want to call. About our date.”

“Oh that? Wanted to change locations?” Draxum said, already plotting out the next location. He faintly hoped Splinter would go somewhere more intellectually stimulating, like an aquarium or a lecture hall.

“No. I’m cancelling it,” Splinter said bluntly.

“Cancelling? Why?” Draxum tried to hide the shock in his voice.

“I was a little… too emotional last night,” Splinter said. Draxum could hear someone tugging on his robe and pleading with him to cut the convo. “Tell me something Draxum, do you know what a paprika surprise is?”

Draxum stiffened, “it’s… a spicy dish—“

“No, it’s a truth serum,” Splinter said. Though his voice was calm, Draxum could hear the growing agitation in his voice. “Apparently it starts off subtle, with 50% of your statements being truths, so you don’t notice. But the more you eat, the more you start spilling out unnecessary details.”

“What? How did you find out about this,” Draxum asked.

“You just told me,” Splinter laughed. “Well not really, I cooked the same dish for my sons this morning, and Michelangelo spilled everything, among other things.”

“What are the other things?” Draxum asked. He wanted to end the conversation, but he also wanted to know what other unfortunate details Michelangelo spilled to his father. Draxum had an unfortunate habit of relaying too much personal info to a 13 year old boy.

“You wanted us to be friends, which is nice to hear,” Draxum could feel the sarcasm oozing from Splinter’s voice. “But you also refuse to accept that you made a lot of mistakes in your past life.”

Draxum took a deep breath “I’m aware that I have… done some things to anger you. But that’s in the past. Right now my duty is to make you happy—“

“Make me happy?” Splinter raised his voice. “You couldn’t even handle one dinner date without putting a spell on my food!”

“I just wanted to know what to do… I wanted to make you happy,” Draxum’s words drifted off. He knew anything he said next would cause Splinter to hang up on him.

“You know what would really make me happy? If you left!” Splinter snapped. “I wish you were out of our lives Draxum.”

Draxum’s hands gripped the phone tightly, “Lou what is this? Why can’t you move on?”

“See, there it is,” Splinter snorted. Draxum could hear the rat man whacking his tail on the ground in anger.

“Splinter I—“

“Do you think you did anything wrong?”

There was an uncomfortable silence. 

Splinter repeated himself, “tell me Draxum. Did you sincerely think you did a single thing wrong?”

Draxum’s claws curled around the phone and he bared his teeth, “I don’t need to apologize. After everything you did, after all the yokai that were forced to suffer for decades because of your refusal to aid me. And yet I had the kindness within my heart to forgive you! If anything, you owe me an—“

Splinter hung up.

Draxum furiously slammed his phone to the table, chipping the edges of it. Even after several attempts to bend over to Splinter’s will and convince the rat man to trust him, the ex superstar still harbored a heavy grudge towards him. 

“If that boy didn’t run his mouth,” Draxum grumbled. Draxum slouched back in his chair, contemplating if he should call Splinter and explain himself. Of course he knew that he had done some morally questionable things, but the yokai had long since abandoned his troubled past. All he wanted to do was move on and find a clean slate with Splinter, though the rat man constantly rejected him.

Another phone call interrupted Draxum’s thoughts. The warrior lept kitchen counter and checked the caller ID, and to his surprise, it was coming from the same number. Still full of adrenaline, Draxum raised his voice to an uncontrolled level to give Splinter the verbal lashing he deserved.

“So you decided to call back, after everything you said,” Draxum hissed. “You have a lot of nerve—“

“Hey dad,”

Draxum’s heart stopped a few seconds too long. _Why didn’t I let him speak first?_ he thought to himself.

“Hello Michelangelo,” Draxum responded. “Something wrong?”

“Yeah uh… can I come over?” Michelangelo said awkwardly. Draxum could heart the loud pats of the turtle nervously pacing.

“Sure,” Draxum replied.

It didn't take long for the turtle to show up, wearing an oversized raincoat and carrying a box of unmarked cassette tapes. Draxum chose to ignore them and greeted Michelangelo instead, who in turn rushed into Draxum’s arms.

“I’m… I’m really sorry,” The boy cried.

Draxum blinked in surprise, “for what?”

“For making my dad hate you again,” 

Another unpleasant silence. Draxum should’ve known Michelangelo would blame himself for failing to convince his two guardians to get along.

“It’s not your fault,” Draxum said awkwardly. _How do you console a child?_

“Yes it is!” the boy wept. “If I didn’t touch that stuff, you and dad… man donnie was right. I’m really dumb.”

Draxum rolled his eyes, “who cares what your brothers think. It’s your father’s own fault for-”

Draxum’s words drifted off again, distracted by the boy's loud sniffling. Draxum didn’t even need to scan his face to understand that the boy was crying, likely wracked with guilt over ruining any potential progress Splinter and Draxum made with each other.

“Why are you crying,” Draxum asked, sounding angrier than he intended. “So you said too much, who cares? Your father didn’t disown you, right?”

That only made Michelangelo sob harder.

Draxum froze up, trying to determine what would be the proper response to a child in distress. He shuffled his body uncomfortably, releasing his arms and having them placed awkwardly by his side. Then, slowly, he lifted his arms and wrapped them around his shoulders, pulling him closer to his chest. He stroked the back of Michelangelo’s head gently for an extra effect, hoping that it would be enough for him. The yokai had an easier time trying to break people down and pushing them into a fit of depression and fear, to try and do the opposite of that felt like a near impossible task for Draxum.

“Is… This makes you feel better?” Draxum asked. 

“Yeah… thanks dad,” Michelangelo sighed, though the tears didn’t stop.

“It’s not your fault, it’s… it’s… my fault,” Draxum choked out. Admitting his own failures like this was never an easy task. “I somehow got you in the middle of all this, and it wasn’t my intention.”

“You know… I got you all that stuff because I really wanted you and dad to get along,” the boy started, finally slowing down his flow of tears. “But I don’t think… I don’t think you should use some kind of spell to force it out of him.”

“Well it wasn’t a love potion,” Draxum snorted. “Just a truth serum. Completely different. You wanted me to know your father better right?” 

“Yeah, but there’s better ways,” Michelangelo shrugged. “You should talk to my dad about his interests, that’s a really easy way to get him to like you more.”

“Okay well… what are his interests?” Draxum saying, quickly regretting his words.

“His movies!” Michelangelo exclaimed, pulling out a few examples and shaking them with excitement.

“Absolutely not!” Draxum shouted. The last thing he wanted was to be reminded of Splinter’s ridiculous movie phase.

“Pleaaaase dad?” Michelangelo pleaded. “We’ll only do ten!”

“TEN!?” Draxum replied in anger. “THAT’S 20 HOURS MICHELANGELO.”

“Actually I think it's 24,” Michelangelo cut in. “I’m pretty sure the director’s cut is 4 hours.”

“Can’t we do anything else?” Draxum asked. “Cooking? Shopping? Does Splinter like having pets?”

“Sorry, I think this is the best one to go with,” Michelangelo shrugged. “I’m sure you’ll like them once you give them a chance”

Draxum groaned. Unbeknownst to the young boy, there was more of a reason as to why he dreaded watching the films with him. A dirty little secret only known to Draxum and a few others, was that the yokai had already seen a Lou Jitsu movie. All of them in fact. Twice. It was with the intentions of observing his fighting style, though it was proven to be useless when Draxum discovered that humans have something called “stunt doubles” and “fake blood” during film shootings. Of course Lou Jitsu was always doing his own stunts, but even then, his fighting was always restraint. It was nothing compared to the aggression and excitement he exuded during the battle nexus fights.

Of course, if he said no, the boy would likely cry again.

“Ugh… fine,” Draxum pouted.

The boy led him into his living room and pushed him on the couch, too excited to let Draxum sit down himself. He scampered to the TV, popped in the first cassette tape, and ran back to the couch, resting by Draxum’s side. The yokai pulled his arm over Michelangelo’s shoulders, a subconscious habit he struggled to get rid of.

“I decided to make this extra fun by removing the labels on the tape, so we don't even know which movie we’re watching!” Michelangelo said, eagerly kicking his fit and shaking with excitement.

“Great,” Draxum muttered.

The movie barely got a chance to start before Draxum felt himself dozing off. He already knew what the film was at first glance. The revealing pirate outfit that Lou Jitsu wore and sepia tone colors told him it was “Sea King: The Journey for the Golden Tempura”. A film he strongly disliked for its pacing, lack of character depth and embarrassing romantic plotline

“Hey I know this one! It’s Sea King!” Michelangelo exclaimed. “I think it’s super underrated, and probably one of dad’s best performances. And I think my dad said this was Tang Shen’s film debut.”

Draxum bit his tongue, if he wanted to insult the boy’s father, he’d probably do it at a more appropriate time. Draxum silently mouthed Lou Jitsu’s lines, hating that he knew them by heart. It was like bile on his tongue, internally repeating the same tired lines that the human had to regurgitate in this mess of a film. Draxum closed his eyes for a moment, only for him to drift further into a deep slumber. 

———

_“I thought you said you couldn’t dance!” Lou Jitsu exclaimed with excitement._

_“I can’t,” Draxum playfully growled. He kissed the tip of Lou Jitsu’s lips softly before resting his head on his shoulders._

_The two men were happily dancing the night away in a rather expensive ball. Draxum no longer dreaded the hateful, judging eyes pointed in his direction, only wanting to keep his eyes on the powerful and great Lou Jitsu._

_“Draxum… were you… ah nevermind,” The human said sheepishly. Draxum wasn’t used to seeing the human so shy and flustered like this._

_Holding his fingers under his chin and tipping it upwards, Draxum said coolly, “no… please go on Lou.”_

_The human chuckled, and wrapped his arms around Draxum’s shoulders. He leaned in for another soft kiss, forcing Draxum to resist the urge to pull him closer. It was unbearable, how someone so prideful and smug could have such a warm smile and a tender voice._

_“I was just wondering,” Lou blushed, looking away at the crowd._

_“Were you trying to kill me?”_

_Draxum’s heart stopped, “w-what? How could you even…”_

_“You wanted an army. You wanted to use my DNA. Do you know what it was like Draxum, being strapped to that machine?” Lou’s eyes were unwavering, and his gentle smile never left him. The warmth in his face Draxum once observed looked eerie and malicious._

_“It was non-lethal Lou,” Draxum stammered. How could Lou Jitsu, a human that was completely beneath his intellect and skill make the yokai fear for his life._

_“It was painful,” Lou Jitsu retorted. Draxum could feel the human pressing his arms tightly around his neck. “I could barely breathe. It was painful. I was in pain Draxum. You hurt me.”_

_“It was for the greater good--”_

_“You knew it was going to kill me. You’re a monster,” Lou Jitsu chuckled. Draxum’s heart sank. How could the human say something so callous and cruel to him? After everything he did for him and his family._

_“You don’t mean that Lou,” Draxum whispered, trying to calm the human down. The yokai surrounding them turned to stare at them directly. Draxum felt cornered._

_“Of course I do. But you don’t believe that yourself, right Draxum? You still see yourself as a martyr, right Draxum?” Lou’s expression changed. His eyes were full of loss and sorrow, making Draxum wince. He remembered that face, It was the look he made when during his final nexus fight. The last time he dared to raise a hand against innocent creatures._

_“Lou… I… I was aware that it was a risky endeavor,” Draxum said, refusing to keep eye contact with him. “But that was a risk I was willing to make-”_

_“You’re sick,” Lou retorted, shifting his expression into anger. That passionate look of fury in his eyes forced Draxum to remember their fight in the lab. The room felt hot, unbearably so. Draxum could see it from the corner of his eyes, the judging crowd replaced with hot blue and green flames, and the loud uproar of captured animals going into a frenzy. Draxum never got a chance to process anything before he was spun to the ground, his head hitting the hard, cold flooring. The human towered over him, his face contorted into a look of blind fury._

_“You attacked my children, you ruined my life, you manipulated your allies, you blackmail, you cheat, you lie, you steal… but you don’t care, you never cared,” Lou Jitsu shouted. “How can you even pretend to love me? You just want to use me, you're no different than--”_

_A pit of anger was growing in Draxum’s stomach, “don’t say her name! I’m nothing like her! She kept you trapped in that Nexus for years. I wanted to use you to save my kind. To protect my people.”_

_“Do you care about Michelangelo Draxum, or are you just using him. Is he no different than the foot soldier girl?” Lou asked. “What is he to you?”_

_“It’s not the same!” Draxum snapped back. “The young boy he’s… I…”_

_“He’s what, Draxum?” Lou asked._

_“Lou, enough of this,” Draxum pleaded. He could sense the flames dying down. “Why can’t you just forgive me, can’t you see that I’ve changed? How I’ve suffered as well?”_

_“I can’t,” Lou lowered his head in disgust._

_“Lou… please look at me,” Draxum said, standing up slowly. “I still… I still love you… I want us to be happy.”_

_The human turned to look at Draxum, his eyes glazed and full of tears._

_“Lou…” Draxum leaned forward to touch him._

_“Goodbye Draxum,” Lou said before turning away._

_The human ran through the flames, prompting Draxum to chase after him. But he wasn’t fast enough. Lou was already gone. He lost him once again._

———

Draxum woke up.

He glanced around the room, trying to remember what he was doing and where he was. He felt something hard lying on his lap and looked down, spotting the orange turtle resting peacefully on his lap. Peering out the window, Draxum could see the sun setting, with various humans waving goodbye to friends and driving home.

Draxum looked back down at Michelangelo and reached his hand out tentatively, not wanting to wake the turtle from his nap. When active, the young boy gave the appearance of an agile young man, but when curled up in his lap, he looked small, and helpless.

Draxum held his breath and he pressed his palm against the top of Michelangelo's smooth head. The yokai felt himself relaxing as he brushed it lightly.

“Dad used to do this too,” Mikey quietly spoke. Draxum pulled his hand back, to the turtle’s dismay.

“Aw sorry I didn’t mean to startle you,” the turtle whimpered. He rested his head casually on draxum’s thigh. “Your hands are really soft and warm. Dad’s hands are pretty clammy… probably because he’s a rat.”

“You’re okay with this?” Draxum asked. 

Mikey nodded. Draxum gave a few more strokes, put at ease after such a stressful and unpleasant dream.

The rage and anger dream Lou exuded was almost exhausting for draxum. To be confronted in such a way made the yokai angry and uncomfortable. He knew it was a dream, he knew it was his cruel subconscious playing tricks on him, but Draxum also knew that Splinter was likely thinking all this to himself. That he viewed Draxum as a monster, unworthy of forgiveness.

“My dad and I are going on vacation, down in the Mystic City,” Michelangelo said drowsily, interrupting his thoughts. “He said I shouldn’t tell you. I don’t think he wanted you to join,” Michelangelo yawned through his words.

Draxum was shocked that the boy would betray his father like this. Then he remembered.

“The paprika,” He said softly. Likely still taking effect, and forcing the young boy to be 100% truthful to him.

“Well that’s a shame, because I’d love to join,” Draxum lied. Of course he wanted nothing to do with that place, given that he’s now a wanted criminal. But he wanted to confront Splinter. Besides, it couldn’t hurt to spend more time with the turtle that saved him.

Lou’s words echoed in his head.

 _“What is he to you?”_

“Michelangelo…” Draxum said slowly. “How do you feel about me?”

“I like being with you Draxum, you’re like my second or third dad,” Michelangelo said happily.

The turtle barely finished his final words before drifting off to sleep once more. Draxum paused for a moment, making sure Michelangelo was truly asleep. After a few minutes of checking, Draxum gave Mikey a few more gentle strokes and left the couch, hoping to find a blanket for him. 

Maybe I’ll confront him, Draxum thought to himself, searching through his closet. _Or maybe I’ll ignore him. Whatever, maybe trying to get on his soft side was a waste of time._

The yokai returned with a large, wool blanket, colored with a deep burgundy. He threw it over the turtle and rested it slightly below Mikey’s chin. 

“I’m not really one for love,” said a sultry voice.

Draxum looked over his shoulder, forgetting about the movie marathon. Lou Jitsu wore an open blouse, and held a timid, pale skinned woman gently. His eyes were as tender and loving as they were in his dream.

“...But you… you’re the exception,” Lou Jitsu exclaimed, leaning in for a kiss. Draxum shut off the tv, not wanting to watch any further.

Draxum stood over the boy for a moment, thinking about what response he should give to the sleeping turtle before leaving the room.

“I... like you too,” Draxum murmured, before finally walking off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! Sorry this one took so long! This story ended up needing to be slightly altered due to "Hidden City's most Wanted", which is taking place before that episode. The next chapter should be taking place directly after it. I hope you enjoyed it


	3. Movie Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Splinter and Draxum have just escaped prison and returned home safe and sound (based off of the events that happened at the end of "Hidden City's Most Wanted"). Draxum however, is acting a little off after finally apologizing for his misdeeds to Splinter.

“If you keep fidgeting I’m going to leave you here like this,” Splinter snapped, holding tightly to the straps fitted tightly on Draxum’s body.

It was only 10 minutes after the terrible fiasco that was the hidden city family vacation. All four groups were shoved into a prison, due to either unfortunate misunderstandings or expected consequences, and then swiftly released thanks to Splinter, Mikey and their incredible wits. Though, that aspect isn’t what troubled Splinter, despite knowing that he and his family were likely fugitives.

It was Draxum’s sudden willingness to offer an apology to him. Though sloppy and not the most satisfying show of regret, Splinter was still shocked to hear the yokai settle down and try to make amends with him, despite everything. Once everyone was safely sent back to the lair, Splinter once again found himself alone with Draxum, thankful yet conflicted.

Sitting on top of Draxum, after placing him on a nearby couch, Splinter continued his work with the sheep yokai. The rat man tore through the straps with his claws, looking up at Draxum to see if he had anything to say, yet his warm, golden eyes only displayed a sense of eagerness and trust from him, making Splinter feel more wary of him. The mask wasn’t going to prevent Draxum from talking, but Splinter climbed to his shoulders to remove it anyways, believing that it was likely uncomfortable for him.

Avoiding his eyes, Splinter removed the strap and threw the mask to the floor, jumping back a bit when he noticed how close he was to Draxum’s lips. It was almost insulting how Draxum refused to say a word while Splinter took his time taking down the straight jacket. 

Finally removing the last strap, Splinter pulled away, distancing himself from Draxum to prevent him catching his unwanted staring. Expecting at least a thank you, the yokai scientist only laughed in amusement before sitting up.

“You went slow on purpose,” Draxum said, cracking a friendly smile.

“Wh-WHAT? What kind of comment is that? I was just being careful,” Splinter said, his face growing hot. “I don’t know what type of clothes they were. It could have been dangerous to just tear them off!”

It was a half truth. The intention to take it slow did have everything to do with wanting to be cautious with the straight jacket, not knowing if it was laced with anything mystic. But Splinter also couldn’t deny that the few minutes “undressing” Draxum in silence was a bit intimate for him, albeit still uncomfortable.

Draxum laughed, “well whatever, I guess I’m just happy to be out of there.”

“Yes well… good.” Splinter said awkwardly, not knowing how to end the conversation. “I’m heading to my room, I’m sure you can find your way home—“

“Can I join you?”

Splinter blinked in surprise, “join me… in… my room?”

“Yes,” Draxum nodded. “I don’t exactly feel safe right now.”

“My…. room,” Splinter repeated slowly.

“Y-yes? Your room?” Draxum repeated back in confusion, as if baffled by Splinter’s sudden discomfort with taking another man to his room.

_He doesn’t look like he’s kidding… I guess it can’t hurt to let him stay the night._

“Sure,” Splinter nodded. “But on one condition… you have to watch a movie with me.”

———————

Draxum leaned forward to better position himself, his arms draping over Splinter’s shoulders, with his chin resting softly on his by.head. Splinter was breathless, not willing to say anything and risk losing the unexpected warmth that overwhelmed him. Their eyes were fixated on the movie, but their thoughts were focused on each other. Complicated, warped and frustrated, both men could do nothing but sit in silence as the movie continued playing.

The film was one Splinter had seen a thousand times: _“Sea King: The Journey for the Golden Tempura”,_ a rather popular Lou Jitsu film and a personal favorite of his, as it was his good friend Tang Shen’s film debut. He remembered her initial embarrassment, and trying to convince her to wear the rather revealing swimsuit by making a request for his character to wear even less clothes, so it could only feel fair to her.

Draxum pulled Splinter in closer, enough for Splinter to hear his heartbeat. It was pounding loudly within his chest, likely from being invested in the film’s conflict… or Splinter himself. Sooner or later Splinter had to say something before Draxum did something drastic.

“What’s so great about being an action star,” Draxum said with annoyance, flicking his ear in disgust when Lou blew a kiss to Tang Shen. “Your fights are fake, the love is fake, the stories are fake… it’s like you’re wasting everyone’s time.”

Splinter chuckled, “it’s not about how real or fake something is, but the experiences you get along the way.”

“Is that why you stopped fighting?”

Splinter shook his head in disgust, “what kind of question—“

“Were the experiences too real for you?” Draxum asked solemnly.

Splinter’s muscles tensed, trying to control his raised hairs. Splinter knew Draxum was good at getting under his skin. But the question held no malice, only genuine confusion towards the rat man.

“I just got bored, that’s all” Splinter shrugged, “you can only fight the same thing for so long.” 

“You know exactly what I mean,” Draxum kept his monotone voice, but his arms hugged Splinter’s chest tightly. “You were captured, enslaved and used as everyone’s favorite spectacle. Yet you kept going. It wasn’t until—“

“Draxum, that’s enough” Splinter’s voice remained relaxed, unsettling Draxum. “It’s foolish don’t you think? To assume one bad fight was enough for me to kill my passion for the martial arts.”

“But.. but you were miserable! You had nowhere to go! You were trapped!” Draxum hugged Splinter tighter, his claws began to dig into his fur, but not enough to cause bodily harm. “You feel no resentment towards my kind? Nothing?”

“Of course not” Splinter responded. He could Draxum’s heart race faster, and his monotone voice transformed into a feeling of confusion that slowly shifted into anger, disturbed and disgusted by Splinter’s rather soft tone. _Of course Draxum’s questions would turn ugly and personal. I should have suspected it when he began to ask questions about something he so openly despises._

“But what about what happened during the battle blitz? When—“ Draxum’s lips were quickly silenced by Splinter’s tail.

“Draxum… can’t we just enjoy this movie together,” Splinter sighed in exhaustion. “Why do you make everything so complicated.”

“Splinter… you remember don’t you? What happened back there… it wasn’t an easy fight,” Draxum said, ignoring Splinter’s request. “You were pushed to your limit, you were beaten nearly to a pulp by that new yokai Warrior. Don’t you remember how the audience reacted? Don’t you remember the cheering, the applause? Doesn’t that make you angry? Doesn’t that make you despise my people?”

Splinter was silent. Of course Draxum remembered that horrible event, he knew too much about him not to. There was a stark silence between them, both of them struggling to find the words to continue the tense conversation.

“You’re just being paranoid Draxum,” Splinter chuckled, wanting to ease the tension between them. “You’re not even making sense anymore? Are you worried about the fight, your people or my silly movies?”

Draxum loosened his grip, likely noticing how tightly he was holding Splinter to him. He used his claws to gently stroke the top of Splinter’s head before letting them trail down his back, making the rat man shudder.

“Splinter… I still love you.”

Splinter almost collapsed. 

He waited for Draxum to respond, to jokingly say it was all in jest and his incoherent ramblings were done to spook him, but there was nothing but Draxum’s nervous breathing to break the silence.

“I’m sorry,” Draxum finally said.

“You already said—“

“I know. I know I said I’m sorry earlier,” Draxum quickly replied. “But I’m sorry, for letting my beliefs and emotions get in the way of your happiness.”

Splinter sighed, “you’re really annoying Draxum.”

“I know,” Draxum said, showing a slight smile. “You’ve endured so much Splinter.”

“I know,” Splinter remarked. Though he struggled to show it, Splinter felt a pained sensation in his heart. It was the first time someone ever told him such a thing, to fully acknowledge the pain and suffering he went through over the years. 

“I was just trying to say something to upset you,” Draxum said bitterly. “It’s what I always do. I always try to hurt you.”

“Well… you’ve been trying to fix that haven’t you?” Splinter said, curling his tail around Draxum’s waist. “Tell me though, why do you still love me?”

Another awkward silence. Splinter knew getting Draxum to be vulnerable in such a way that he could pour his emotions out like this was like teaching a dog to fly. In fact, it made Splinter wonder if Draxum’s intimate touching was his only way of confessing his emotions to him. 

“When you won that fight… and collapsed on the floor… I remember feeling a sense of unease in my stomach,” Draxum said in a hushed voice. “I knew you weren’t going to die, and yet I was scared for you. Why was I scared for you? I despised humans, I loathed them.”

Draxum clutched Splinter tightly again, “Maybe it felt unfair. Unfair to see you suffer like this, to always see you suffer… to be the cause of your suffering. And knowing that in the end, despite everything… you can still open your heart to others.”

Splinter finally turned around, taken aback by Draxum’s face. Though his face still held that blank expression, his eyes told another story. Tears flowed out of his hurt eyes and hit the blankets, leaving salty, wet stains behind. Splinter raised his hand in understanding, wiping away Draxum’s tears, not noticing how Draxum raised his own hand to feel up Splinter’s. Splinter’s palms rested on Draxum’s cheek for a moment, then breathlessly raised his other hand, keeping his eyes on Draxum.

“I don’t deserve your pity,” Draxum scoffed, but not willing to push him away.

“This isn’t pity,” Splinter leaned in closer. “You don’t deserve my pity. You never did.”

Draxum’s eyes widened in surprise but shut them in understanding, knowing that Splinter’s harsh words were deserved. 

The two men stared at each other, unsure what was the next proper move to make. Splinter, deciding to go first, wrapped his tail around Draxum’s waist and pulled him closer. A few soft kisses were left on Draxum’s unresponsive lips. Draxum hesitated for a moment, and then returned the favor. Holding the back of Splinter’s head with one hand, he pushed the rat man closer, crashing his lips against his, as if desperate for more intimacy from him. Splinter pulled his hands away from Draxum’s face and wrapped his arms around his shoulder, his tail pulling away from his waist to flick in excitement. 

Splinter could hear Draxum’s heart pound even faster now, his own beating in sync with his. A pounding sound could be heard on the bed, initially thinking it was Draxum hitting his fists, Splinter realized it was Draxum’s tail hitting the bed with excitement. Splinter couldn’t tell exactly what he himself was feeling. Was it relief? Joy? Confusion? Frustration? Whatever it was, it made Splinter feel the kind of emotions he never experienced in years.

The pulled away for a moment, their eyes gazing down on each other. Without thinking, Splinter pushed Draxum down on the bed, and climbed on top of him. Draxum’s eyes twinkled with awe and nodded his head in understanding. Splinter gripped the edges of the robe, and then stopped himself. Deciding to flip down next to him and sigh in exhaustion.

“Not yet… I just can’t do this,” Splinter’s breath was haggard, likely tired from the intense kissing and spur of explosive emotions.

Draxum only grunted in response and rolled his arm over Splinter’s body. The yokai was so warm and soft, despite having such a well muscled body. Splinter could feel Draxum loosening up his own robe to feel more comfortable, removing the shoulder pads and removing the top half of his robe, leaving his chest exposed.

“Is this how you sleep?” Splinter laughed softly.

“I prefer to strip myself down more but I’m sure you wouldn’t like that,” Draxum said sternly. He pulled Splinter closer, and Splinter could feel his heartbeat once more, finally relaxing and beating at a steady rhythm. “So… how do you feel about me.”

Splinter could hear his tail still wagging under the sheets, “hm…” Splinter cocked his head up, sighing in frustration when he spotted the credits rolling. “Shoot, is the movie seriously over?”

Splinter rested his head back on the pillow and slowly fell asleep, ignoring Draxum’s frustrated groans. He was going to tell him how he felt about him later.

Hopefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you all enjoyed this chapter! i hope to do one last chapter to sort of wrap everything up! thank you for reading

**Author's Note:**

> ive been holding off on this one for a while because very rarely do i publicly post fanfics. i was also nervous about not making draxum and splinter's dynamic feel believable. i want to believe both characters are capable of having their own sense of humor, and i'd like to imagine even splinter can easy up and tease his arch enemy
> 
> this will be a series so please be attentive for more chapters!


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